Notebook: Olly out of Augusta, shanks still plague Poulter

Olly not fit to play the Masters
Jose Maria Olazabal hasn’t played a competitive round since shooting a 71 on the Friday at the 2015 Masters – and he has now announced that he won’t be back at Augusta due to continuing, but unspecified, health concerns.

The two-time champion is back hitting balls but, reluctantly, he won’t be making his way to Georgia in two and a half weeks.
A statement read: ”I am sorry to announce that I’m unable to attend this year as I am not feeling well. ‘The Masters is very special to me, and walking up Magnolia Lane gives me a peace of mind like nowhere else.

”It’s been very tough being at home these last few months doing nothing. Now I’m feeling better. I hit a bucket of balls every morning and spend 45 minutes on the putting green. I practice for about three hours. I don’t set myself goals or dates. Time will tell.”

The King won’t open up the Masters

By all accounts Arnold Palmer won’t hit the ceremonial first tee shot at the Masters.

The King has been part of the 1st tee gathering since 2007 – Jack Nicklaus joined him in 2010 and Gary Player 2012 – but, while he will still be at Augusta and the Champions Dinner, the 86-year-old won’t be hitting any balls.

The Postman delivers… an array of sockets
On the face of it Ian Poulter had a pretty unspectacular week at Bay Hill with rounds of 72-70-72-71. But it was not without incident and contained a few shanks, not the first time that the hosel rocket has shown itself in the Englishman’s swing.

Poulter made the headlines last week at the Valspar when he was heckled – and then informed his new admirer’s bosses on social media about their behaviour. Supposedly the heckler was sacked on Thursday.

The same day the 40-year-old was going along nicely when he piped one into a TV area at the 15th hole. At the last he again found the hosel for another double bogey.

To his credit he wasn’t hiding on Twitter after the round.

“Pure 16 holes today. some progress… But 18 holes count. 2 lovely shanks led to 2 double bogeys. Real shame. Work in progress. Love a shank”

On his penultimate hole of the week he hit another lateral for a double. He is the first alternate for the WGC-Dell Match Play in Texas, if he doesn’t get in he will hot-foot it to the Puerto Rico Open.

McCoy helps college to team title
You’ll remember Lee McCoy from last week’s Valspar Championship, the amateur who finished fourth on his home course on the PGA Tour, the best finish by a non-professional in 18 years?

That night he made the 487-mile drive to play in a college event for the University of Georgia, arrived in Athens at 4am and then played 36 holes. He shot 70-71 to tie for seventh and Georgia won the team title.

The 22-year-old, who outscored his playing partner Jordan Spieth by four shots on the Sunday, would have pocketed nearly $300,000 for his trouble and afterwards admitted that he had $350 in his bank account – something that should well change in the next couple of years.

Steele experiments with Persimmon

We hear plenty, sometimes little else, about the technology advancements in the past couple of decades but we don’t often get to see the Tour stars hit the clubs of yesteryear.

At Bay Hill last week the players had the chance to hit exact replicas of Arnold Palmer’s clubs.

Of Arnie’s driver Brendan Steele said: “The cool thing about it was that since it’s built for a good player it has a stiff shaft and the face angle is good. I stood up there and smashed it (260 yards apparently and 30 yards behind his usual driver). I hit it so good. It was this piercing little flight.

“It probably only launched at six degrees, but it was good. It was so cool.”

Gallacher under the knife
Stephen Gallacher’s ordinary form in 2016 – one made cut in five starts – has been explained by a long-standing hand injury.

And the Scotsman has now had an operation which will mean his arm will be in a sling for 10 days and he will face at least a four-week lay-off.

He said: “He cut the tendon sheath away and there was a lot of inflammation. This has been bothering me since last May, when I was forced to pull out of the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth before the first round.

“I’ve had cortisone injections, the latest one in December, but it’s hindered me on the course, on the practice range and also in the gym. It’s been a blessing really that it flared up again and has led to an operation being required as it means I can get back out there not worrying about it.”

The 41-year-old, who hopes to be back at the Spanish Open in April, is currently 47th in the Ryder Cup qualifying standings.